If you have spent any amount of time with the Triumph Tiger 800 you will know that it is an intimidating and sweat-inducing motorcycle to ride off-road. This has been a rather big chink in its armour and unsurprisingly Triumph has focussed on fixing this while developing the Tiger 900. So, what and how does the Tiger 900 deliver on the wildness quotient?
Also read: Triumph Tiger 800 XCx: Road Test Review
Skeletal work
The changes to the Tiger’s DNA may seem a bit strange on paper. Wouldn’t the increase in rake, a massive jump in trail and a slightly longer wheelbase (one degree, 52.3mm and 6mm, respectively) make it a bit slower and heavier at the bars? But that’s just one part of the equation.
The other part is the drop in the centre of gravity, effected by pushing the engine down by 42mm and tilting it forward by 6.8 degrees. Cool fact: to make room for the engine the radiator was split into two, and gets a cool technical look as a bonus. Despite a wider cylinder bore the engine is just as slim as before. But it is shorter than before because the sump is packaged tighter, as a result of which ground clearance hasn’t been compromised despite the engine sitting lower down.
Also read: Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC: First Ride Review
Tweaks to the design include a bolt-on aluminium rear subframe with bolt-on hangers for the pillion footpegs. This helps save weight and improves ease of repair and lowers costs in case of any damage. The spoke rims are shod with tubeless tyres too, which improves the robustness and go-anywhere ability. The top-spec Rally Pro also packs in a mainstand for added convenience.
The Rally family, which has replaced the off-road-oriented XC family, offers Showa suspension which has bumped up the suspension travel by 20mm at the front and 15mm at the rear. Overall seat height has increased too, by 10mm, to 850mm. The seat height is adjustable by 20mm, and at its highest setting goes to 870mm. Thankfully the frame and tank are slimmer than before, all with an aim to make the Tiger 900 easier to manage.
Heart in the right place
To change the power delivery characteristic the three-cylinder engine has an uneven firing order (1-3-2). Earlier, the Tiger had a road/sport bike kind of progressive power delivery, which meant you really had to rev up the bike to get a move on. That was fun if you are attacking a set of twisties, but the lack of grunt at low revs meant you had to work the gears a lot more when riding off-road or when a change of pace was required while cruising or commuting.
The new motor delivers 8Nm more peak torque at 300 revs lower than before. More importantly, you get more torque and power than before across the rev range.
In terms of electronics, the Rally Pro gets an exclusive Off-road Pro mode which basically turns off traction control and ABS, thereby handing all the reins over to the rider. There is a less aggressive Off-Road mode which keeps ABS engaged on the front wheel, has a more relaxed setting for the traction control, and uses an off-road oriented throttle map. This mode is available even on GT Pro.
From the saddle
... it feels exactly like it should. Awesome. This Tiger is now such a welcoming motorcycle to ride off-road. It is far from intimidating or nerve wracking. Firstly, even as you nudge the bike off the stand you realise it feels much lighter than the few kilos it has actually lost. As you sling a leg over and tuck your knees into the tank, the slimness of the motorcycle actually feels shocking. The footpegs, which are placed further back than on the road-biased Tiger GT, also let you stand up and ride with ease. Head out onto the trails and cold fear will quickly be replaced by the lip-smacking warmth of confidence.
The changes to the chassis mean you can trust the front end even when it is shimmying through sand or skipping over ruts. Treating it like a dirt bike is a joy: drop the Tiger into a corner, sit on the outer edge of the seat, inside leg dangling ahead, open the gas and dirty dance your way out. The Pirelli Scorpion Rally tyres on our test bikes clawed into the mud, beefing up confidence in a manner the stock Bridgestone Battlax Adventures never could. Nonetheless, the innate balance and lightness of the motorcycle is something that cannot be doubted.
Speed becomes a willing companion much sooner than expected and this highlights the suspension’s ability too. Banging over rocks, ditches and crests, the Showa’s sense of sophistication and ability was in sharp contrast to the Tiger 800 XCx’s kit. Although more capable than the suspension before it, the WP’s on the 8000 still kicked and crashed a fair bit.
The engine deserves credit here too, delivering solid grunt from low revs that lets you carry higher gears, then just lean on the gas and power right through. When required to change gears, the quickshifter makes the task easier while standing up and riding too. Off-Road mode bumps up throttle response to make it easier still to dig up the dirt. Pro Tip: Switch the engine off from the kill switch to avoid switching out of the Off-Road Pro mode.
What about the GT?
The GT family has replaced the road-biased XR family, carrying forward the 19” front and 17” rear alloy wheel architecture. The new Marzocchi suspension setup, which offers rebound and compression adjustability from the mid-spec variant onwards, offers the same amount of suspension travel as before. However, the new suspension and the chassis which is shared with the Rally go a long way in making this a better all rounder. While we didn’t ride it off-road, we did go over some thick and deep mud on the GT Pro and the same sense of lightness and adjustability was apparent there too. The greater sense of sophistication from the suspension also helps in transforming this into a genuine adventure tourer that will carry on undeterred on its journey well after the roads have disappeared.
It roars.
The Tiger 900 will instill confidence and a sense of adventure in budding off-road enthusiasts. It will convert more people into adventure seekers than the Tiger 800 ever did or could have. So, job done.
When it arrives in India we expect the Tiger 900 Rally Pro to carry a 1 lakh rupee premium over the Tiger 800 XCa, which pegs it at about Rs 16 lakh ex-showroom. This makes it quite premium, but even that can't discount the fact that the Tiger is an incredible all rounder (on every front).
To know more about the Triumph Tiger 900 and how it does on other fronts, head over to our Tiger 900 introduction page here.
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